S'marvelous Face
by Modern Day Princess
Summary: Loosely based on Audrey Hepburn's movie Funny Face. Chuck is the editor of Bass  Fashions and his eyes land on the brunette with a marvelous face. Soon their journey begins. AU. Chair.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: This story is loosely based on Audrey Hepburn's movie _Funny Face. _Happy endings are promised ! Reviews are appreciated ! :)

**S'Marvelous Face**

**Part One**

The course of his morning hour passed, grounded in its habitual insignificance. He had gotten up, put on his customary black suit, stopped for black American coffee on his way to work and viewed the world around him through a lens of scepticism. He was a man of few words, expectations. It didn't pain him to display a critical, unyielding eye toward the world. The morning lustre of busy Manhattan streets, a mysterious myriad of faces and voices, sudden meeting of gazes, occasional , uncomfortable closeness and the smell of fresh coffee beans failed to capture his eagerness. He walked with a brisk, confident step and put forth a sincere effort not to notice the beauty around him. It was a skill he had to come to appreciate, cherish. It was his legacy.

He was Charles Bartholomew Bass, a tall, sturdy young man with dark brown strands engraving his large forehead. He had an important, respectable job and everything else did not seem to concern him. He had always liked to think that his inherited materialism was his late father's possession. He practiced the craft faithfully.

**XOXO**

She read intently, unwaveringly. She had learned to silence her immediate surroundings; she grew accustomed to the loudness and restlessness that is often produced by large gatherings. She cherished the thirty minutes of intellectual exhilaration, quiet reflection. She was a student of English Literature, one who shamelessly fell into the category of eternal romantic. Shakespeare, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway challenged her, gave her hope, questioned her young innocent faith. She liked the mystery of the written word; it never ceased to surprise her.

She was Blair Waldorf, a beautiful brunette, quick-witted and sensitive, strong and compassionate. Her hazel eyes, penetrating and serious, had the power to hold one's attention, interest. They were expressive, prone to emotion, feeling. Her eyes captured her inner world perfectly.

**XOXO**

It was the same scene every morning. It was a routine, a ritual set in stone. Chuck entered the second floor of the spacious ten storey building, slowly made his way to his office and acknowledged his terse, tired-looking assistant with a brief distant nod. Then his passive eyes would observe multicoloured, bright, black and white snapshots of ordinary youthful beauty in which something essential was missing. A graceful picture, torn at the edges; a bouquet of fresh roses, marred at the stem. Perhaps his perception of fashion was a reflection of his general scepticism, unyielding disinterest in the life around him. Perhaps his senses were still in slumber, devoid of acute passion that characterizes individuals moved by an emotion reminiscent of love. He had truly never been in love; his numerous infatuations did not extend as far as bodily warmth and distinct awareness of someone else's head on his chest. As time passed, the names and faces became interchangeable, insignificant.

"Good morning, Charles".

An energetic voice of a woman interrupted his rather impassive observations. Lily Bass,his best photographer who often used this fact to her advantage, entered his office. She was an attractive blonde in her late thirties with a vast knowledge of fashion and her young employer. The latter characteristic came to the surface as Lily took note of Chuck's unresponsiveness.

"The shots are not good enough? " she inquired shrewdly.

"No, they are just uninspiring".

Chuck looked up at her, removing his gaze from a collection of pictures that seemed to have no effect, power over him. He always spoke his mind; Lily admired Chuck's direct way of accessing things. She secretly believed his commercial success was a result of the bluntness of character, absence of superficiality. He was capable of leaving the emotion out.

" This is a wonderful picture of Serena. It should make the cover", Lily pointed a manicured finger at the bright photograph of a blonde-haired beauty in a light blue sundress. Chuck nodded absent-mindedly.

" Do whatever you feel is best".

" Charles, _you_ are the editor, the fact you often seem to forget. After all, this magazine is your father's legacy".

Lily liked to express her deeply held opinions; this was one of the reasons Chuck had hired her. He felt she was a woman of power, strong and decisive. At times, she reminded him of his mother whom he lost several years ago. Involuntarily, he felt close to her.

" I am sorry, Lily", he corrected himself," let's discuss the new issue over coffee this afternoon.

" Thank you", Lily returned, relieved to see the faint flicker of initiative on his part. She wanted him to see his talent, his power. She always believed that Chuck had the potential to influence the world, leave an indelible mark. It was her nature to entertain far-reaching illusions.

" Good morning !"

A pleasantly warm young voice called out, opposing the imminent chagrin in the room. Serena van der Woodsen's large bright eyes flickered in the dimly lit space. Chuck hardly noticed the closed shutters hanging over his square window.

" Serena ! We were just looking at your takes from yesterday! You looked marvellous, sweetheart," Lily exclaimed. It was no secret that the well-known photographer held a certain fascination with the zealous, passionate way Serena carried herself. She had a talent of bringing warmth and life to her surroundings. Yet, the unmoved editor could not dismiss the penetrating feeling reminiscent of prosaicness. Human emotion, like happiness and passion, were not mysterious or unknown; they did not strike him as unique, different. It was the oldest struggle of the mankind to attribute these feelings. Chuck yearned for radicalism, experimentation. He had an ambitious disposition.

" What did the big shot think?" Serena cast her glance at Chuck, smiling generously, strategically.

" They were fine, darling". His response was usual, rehearsed.

" Charles and I will discuss them later this afternoon. ", Lily added in an enthused manner, passing the photograph to the glowing model.

As they strode out of the office, she whispered "They might be on the front cover".

Chuck rubbed his forehead and stretched his muscular arms. He glanced at his wrist watch and his hesitant lips curved in a smile. His girlfriend always visited him at ten o'clock every morning.

**XOXO**

" Your boyfriend just left this for you", Vanessa smiled tauntingly, handing Blair a box of mint chocolates. Some days it was a heartfelt note, a lingering kiss. Today it was a more concrete expression of his affection. Blair adored Nate's sensitivity, devotion. Yet, sometimes her young romantic nature pictured strong arms around her slim waist, deep kisses that lifted her feet off the ground, mysterious adventures that made her heart soar. Ordinary manifestations of love left her expectant, unmoved. Something felt amiss in soft, delicate embraces, gentle kisses and tender exchanges. Blair had been privy to many strange worlds: romantic sensual Britain of Shakespeare and Milton, passionate, turbulent America of Fitzgerald and Faulkner, picaresque, brave Canada of MacLennan and Ondaatje . She knew too much. It was a fault, stimulus to ambitious longing.

" That must be sweet having a boyfriend like that".

Vanessa hardly concealed her honest opinion, her jealousy. Blair smiled lightly in response; she did not want to seem ungrateful, uncaring. She closed her novel and met her co-worker's murky gaze.

" Nate is amazing", she stated simply. She struggled not to maintain high hopes, ambitions. She continued to assure herself of a distinction between fiction and real life, novels and mundane events. But, she possessed an idealistic heart.

" How was your break"? Vanessa changed the subject, as usual.

Blair adjusted her work uniform and cast a longing glance toward her _Great Gatsby._

" Not long enough", she responded, " how is it over there?"

"Unbelievably busy", her co-worker complained, " and must I mention, people aren't nice today".

In about two minutes, a tall slim brunette allowed herself to enter the everyday world, so distinct from her romantic and refined visions.

**XOXO**

"Lord, these girls need to eat", Penelope mused from Chuck's lap, flipping through the piles of photos. His hand firmly rested on the small of her back. Their interactions always had a certain repetitive element; every move, touch seemed familiar, rehearsed.

"Amen, baby", Chuck returned, " you need to be on the cover".

Penelope sighed and twisted a thick black strand around her finger. "And have you as a boss? No, thanks. I know how you can get".

Chuck knew she intended her provocative statement as a way to challenge, taunt him. Yet, he felt slight annoyance and dismay whenever she assumed condescending antics.

However, his free hand pulled her closer; every gesture was scripted, known.

**XOXO**

" Well, we chose a good time to come. I hear it is usually busy here".

Lily and Chuck stopped in the middle of Starbucks Coffee, looking curiously around them. It had been in proximity to Bass Fashions for a significant amount of time, yet they never truly ventured to cross the border and make the strange familiar.

" Two macchiatos", Chuck informed a young cashier. He hesitantly fumbled with the cash register. Everything breathed with casual nonchalance. Wooden tables, scattered across the linoleum, high windows embedded in green curtains.

" Serena's picture screams the front cover", Lily stated with assurance when they sat down.

" How so?" Chuck put forth his familiar scepticism.

" The girl is gorgeous, she is like sunshine."

Lily examined the blue eyes, sparkling blonde locks. Chuck followed her gaze. Nonchalance. Familiarity.

Something changed in a minute.

Blair, looking sideways at the two customers, walked briskly past their table, collecting empty mugs. She sensed their importance, pretence. She could spot businessmen from afar. There was always something reserved and cold in their manner. The man with deep brown eyes struck her as one immediately; there was something about the way his shoulders were squared, his gaze fixed.

Lily turned back and gazed at the brunette; her long wavy hair, her ladylike posture. Chuck and his best photographer were in sync, their movements almost simultaneous Two observant sets of eyes, two sets of eyes that never seemed to miss beauty. This time, Chuck felt something reminiscent of intrigue, curiosity. There was something unusual about her, a flicker of intelligence, an array of confidence. She was not like anyone he has ever seen.

Blair could feel them looking at her, watching her bluntly, openly. She was surprised, flattered. People gazed at her constantly, yet the way this stranger surveyed her every move was unnerving. His blatant dark eyes gleamed, set in kinetic motion. His oblivion was dismantled and he was not yet aware of it.

" Can I help you with something?" Blair finally asked rather rudely.

" No, just keep doing whatever you are doing", Chuck answered her, curving his rich brow.

Blair picked up the tray angrily and walked away.

" What a strange girl", Lily spoke , " but she has got such a marvellous face".

For once, Chuck agreed with her.

XOXO

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: So sorry for not updating sooner! I had an awful writer's block, don't you hate those? But I am back in the groove; I am still committed to this story!

Please note that there are time shifts in this chapter; italics show jumps forward in time. Chair will get a happy ending :) Reviews would be appreciated !

**S' Marvellous Face**

**Part Two**

He lingered suddenly, against his will. As a man of routine and decisive disposition, he found the gesture unusual. A snapshot of her face traveled before his eyes in slow, authoritative motion. Porcelain skin, eyes the color of hazelnut...features imbued with lightness and extraordinary elegance. Who was this girl? He found himself moved by a current of curiosity, overpowering interest. Her glowing deep eyes, cascading waves of dark brown hair...it was a dreamy, floating vision. It was a breath of life on his re-awakened heart.

**XOXO**

Blair was caught between two opposing binaries: disdain and curiosity, familiarity and mystery. His intent, captivating eyes burned like fire within her; she trembled with warm unexpected wonder. She was under a spell, sudden and enticing. There was something about the way he looked at her; the mystery was not in the motion of his penetrating eyes but in what was hidden behind it. She sensed a connection that could not be explained by words; a personal chord was struck, brought forth from the depths of their souls. Shakespearean kind of wonder.

**XOXO**

What followed was a series of swift and meaningful gestures, like fast-changing images in motion pictures. Eyes, hands, breaths...physical elements joined in a sparkle of life, their puzzling chemistry radiating.

**XOXO**

_He stared into that beckoning face, there was something about it that made him feel warm inside. At that moment, he knew what he had to do. There was still time to change everything, insert a new vitality into the familiarity of his creation. Blair Waldorf's face was meant to be there._

**XOXO**

" Say what's your name?"

He did not intend to posit the question in such a formal way, yet over the years his habitual playfulness had started to dissipate, disintegrate with constant application. He accepted another cup of coffee. He followed the motion of the white china mug before it landed on the wooden table in front of him.

" I am sorry...I am afraid your order was black Americano, not an interrogation."

Determined expression etched in those deep hazel eyes, confident manner of speaking.

" Is that so? I would like to change it".

" You are abhorrent".

She walked away with a determined stride, but a faint smile was shaping along the edges of her full mouth.

**XOXO**

_He took the photo from her hands, not letting go of her penetrating eyes. Her golden lids fluttered slightly; there was lingering expression behind that hazel substance. He made a semicircle with his index finger around the right side of her face, stretching from her temple to her chin. Then he kissed her gently, passionately. Her feet floated above the concrete ground._

**XOXO**

"Blair, is he ever going to leave? We are closing in ten minutes. Someone should tell him".

Eric cast a suspicious glance at Chuck who sat proud and unperturbed, relishing in the creamy brewed liquid. An hour ago, his authoritative figure was surrounded by others, less engaged and serene, customers of various ages and occupations. Blair, despite her determined and self-imposed resolution to refrain from observing him, could not help but notice that he stood out. There was a certain rhythm, pattern in the substance of his being; each individual movement and phrase evoked mystery and increased her want, _need _to know more. She had always been drawn to unusualness; it held a lustre of fascination for her.

" I will make sure he leaves", Blair declared resolutely, bravely. But on the surface, her reply lacked sincerity.

**XOXO**

_She slowly pulled herself away from his embrace. The feel of his lips against her own lingered in the darkness. She took a moment to break free from a dream, so distant and near at the same time. All her private hopes came to life in one moment; the passion she secretly yearned for, the excitement she cherished. But the strong moralizing force of reality beckoned her to stop. " I have a boyfriend". The magic dismantled._

**XOXO**

Chuck watched her with uncharacteristic curiosity. He had known for a while that his outlook on life had hardened, with his father's death, his birth mother's betrayal. He took over Bart's magazine as a way of escapism, a route that did not need alternatives. He thought the pretentious and flashy world of fashion (and women) would provide him with relief, means of forgetting. He had learned not to feel. It was a defensive mechanism, false masking of pain. Yet, he started to find that lost humble passion ; life found him not in the exotic fashion world, but in a coffeehouse wrought with enthralling prosaicness.

Strawberry perfume, sweet and delicate smell. Eyes that pierced the heart.

" We are closed".

She was before him now, defiant and full of life. He held those eyes, studied their expressiveness.

" So, that means you are free tonight?"

Directness came easily to him.

" Yes".

Irresistibility of wonder came easily to her.

" How much longer?"

" Half hour. But don't expect me to rush ." There was that fire again.

" I don't expect anything. " The statement was only half true.

" What do you have in mind?"

Blair struggled to maintain her playful coldness, reserve. He imbued her with almost girlish nervousness. She wanted to smile, laugh, put her head on his shoulder and revel in joyous young love.

" A job that you were meant for."

Chuck was not one to act on an impulse, minute rashness. But the night promised new beginnings and choices. Something told him he could not let the opportunity pass; he was captivated immensely by her marvellous face.

" Sounds like you are quite sure of yourself."

" Get used to it."

Blair walked off, absorbed in expectation, commanding herself not to rush, gather her senses.

**XOXO**

He held the door of his limo open for her, smiling jeeringly, secretively. Blair returned his smile involuntarily. Everything seemed to be in a whirlwind of life, charming and pleasing frenzy.

" You won't tell me where we are headed?"

" Patience is not one of your virtues, is it?"

She quietly adored his open way of challenging her; it added a tone of audacity, daring to their interaction. It kept her on her toes, stimulating her growing interest. It was life.

"All in good time, marvellous face."

He noted the faint smile around the corners of her mouth; he viewed this as victory. She had a beautiful smile. It was sparkling, contagious, sincere. It matched her naturally breathtaking face.

" You are just awful."

Before she could stop herself, Blair deepened her smile.

**XOXO**

_Chuck heard her words and they had the effect of nearly crushing his newfound spirit. He forced himself to let go of her, part with what she had temporarily restored in him. Sometimes we only get a glimpse of what we could have, a transient remote vision. _

" _I have a girlfriend, too." _

**XOXO**

Bass Fashions. Tall proud building, aware of its grandeur and importance. Blair felt like she was in a dream, walking beside the man she had secretly dreamt about. The feeling contained her, the one she only read about in books. It was like magic.

Chuck could not turn his eyes away from her. Their subtle glimmer moved him. He reached into that part of himself that he neglected., carelessly tossed aside. He started to see the world through her transparent, expectant hazel eyes.

When they reached the photograph's room, Chuck took her hand. He did not intend to do it; the youthful vigour spoke in him. He led her to the middle of the room, reluctantly letting go of the softness of her palm. His camera gave out a powerful, exuberant light. Wonder. Estrangement.

He switched the lights back on; he held the snapshot of her marvellous face in his hand. Deep hazel eyes transferred their vitality to the blank slate of white paper.

"That's me." Blair's voice depicted her surprise, faint flicker of pride.

" I love your face". Chuck spoke truthfully.

He turned sideways to face her, look into her eyes. The refinement of the moment took them captive.

**XOXO**

"_Then why did you kiss me?" _

_Blair felt remorse, indignation. _

" _Because you wanted me to"._

_Again, his answer reminded her of how much he knew her already. It frightened her, filled her with hope. _

" _You wanted to do it too. Just admit it." _

_She also challenged him, read his feelings and thoughts. _

" _Fine. I wanted to."_

_The reassurance of his confession failed to give Blair faith, relief. The inner voice of conscience seized her; she walked away from him, with forced resolve, unforced attraction._

**XOXO**

**TO BE CONTINUED **


	3. Chapter 3

**S' Marvelous Face**

**Part Three**

" Blair, is everything ok? You seem distracted", Nate asked with concern.

They were having breakfast on NYU campus before their morning classes, time's restricting urgency sweeping over them. It was the morning after the turbulent night that consumed all of Blair's being, disarranged her emotions and thoughts.

" I am sorry...I could not sleep last night".

She watched her boyfriend's golden face with distant scrutiny, observation. She was engrossed in her memories, imbecile recollections. Chuck's blatant powerful eyes flowed before her, their fire seeping and reflecting in her own eyes. She had felt a surge of life embracing her; it crept up on her almost magically. He was impertinent Rhett Bartlett to her lively Scarlett O'Hara.

" Were you studying for midterms? You should take it easy...there has never been a time when Blair Waldorf did not come out on top."

Nate believed in her, supported her. Blair immediately chided herself for her weakness, digression. She was prone to blending life and fantasy, filling her heart with mysterious expectation. She realized she needed someone like Nate who saw things as they were, showed indifference to the workings of fiction. He was calm and serene Ashley Wilkes. She chose him first.

**XOXO**

_She was getting into a cab she had hurriedly hailed when a strong, asserting arm touched her shoulder. Same unyielding dark eyes, their unstoppable motion beckoning her. _

" _Let go of me !" She remembered herself saying passionately. She had no desire to take part in a masterful charade he was playing. Yet her heart was beating a little faster._

" _For the record, I loved kissing you". _

_Endearing insolence. Captivating assertion. _

" _I have no respect for you", she said with less conviction than she had hoped. Pulling herself away from him, she suppressed the urge to press her lips against his own._

**XOXO**

" You always know what to say".

That was the truth; Nate knew her better than anyone else. She could provide him with an uncertain expression, a raw manifestation of some hidden emotion and he would gradually decipher its meaning. When she was worried or upset, he held her in the comfort of his arms, so close that his steady breathing caressed her ears. When she was angry, he made her laugh, reduced himself to mimicry and frivolousness. Could she really find it within her to ever let him go? Blair felt safe, protected with him.

" I love you", he uttered.

Usually his sincere confession had the effect of soothing her, coating her with lightness and strength. Yet now, Blair could only painfully and distinctly remember the sudden surge of passion, Chuck's shameless eyes and her beating heart. He brought something out in her, some astonishing and indomitable aspect that she didn't know she possessed. She had always been prone to ordering and classifying her world, attempting to ground it in logic and reason. But he had the privilege of showing her the side of life she shunned. Whimsy. Spontaneity. The qualities were so at odds with the vision of herself Blair created. A playful ecstasy.

" I love you, too."

Blair was certain she did; their closeness, familiarity with each other always gave her peace. The sentiment was there, but what defined it changed.

**XOXO**

Chuck smiled slyly, taking a sip from his strongly brewed coffee. It was another morning, initiation into habitual layers of his life. Yet this time there was something different, a new and definitive awareness. He came to his office, temporarily engaging with haphazard flux of early Manhattan, yet finding himself amused. The feeling had been remote to him for a while; he accepted it reluctantly at first. He was a curious tourist navigating the fabric of his social world. A panoramic vision.

**XOXO**

_It was like being in a dim theatre with the lights gradually evading, retreating from the centre. The lamp perched on a high stool illuminated the image of her face in the photograph's room. He did not know her name or where she came from. He could only venture a guess, take a leap at the puzzle. There was an almost infantile intrigue behind the endeavour._

**XOXO**

" What's this?"

The green in Serena's eyes reflected austere surprise. Again, _her _marvellous face was before him, looking into his very heart from Serena's hands.

" The front cover of our new issue", Chuck replied with characteristic clarity, assertion. He had to admit that a part of his new-found excitement stemmed from expected reactions. He felt like he broke new ground, expanded his legacy into foreign territory, exotic realm. A girl from the everyday world with an unforgettable face. A mysterious, elegant girl with unrealized, flickering passion. The concept enticed him, woke his fancy.

" Are you out of your mind? Who is this girl?"

Serena did not like when she was not in focus, when her eager vitality suffered defeat. She was his most sought-after model, the pride of Bass Fashions. But she did not challenge him, invoke his curiosity, show him unfamiliar layers of his being. The girl with charcoal hair, hazelnut eyes and inherent grace opened him up like a book. He could not dismiss her hold on him.

" My answer to your first question is yes, probably. And who is _she_? Well, I would like to know."

" This is ridiculous."

Serena threw her hands up in the air and left abruptly, sensing Chuck's resoluteness.

**XOXO **

" What are you looking at?" Vanessa asked noticing Blair's wandering eyes. It was a busy hour, a hurried influx of customers sweeping over the concrete. Every now and then Blair's heart would beat a little faster when her eyes caught a familiar likeness...tall stature, rich black array of hair. When she realized her mistake, her face would flush, unwelcome warmth covering her porcelain cheeks.

" Nothing", Blair replied distractedly. She could never divulge her preoccupation, her fugitive thoughts.

" I know what this is about", Vanessa smiled meaningfully. She liked to create her romantic visions, living vicariously through Blair's passion.

" You are waiting for Nate to drop by".

Vanessa was not entirely wrong; her coworker's swift eyes searched for _someone_, for a distant and appealing dream. Only the subject of this quest was a powerful businessman, a man of audacity and vigour that Blair forgot existed.

**XOXO**

" _What time are you working tonight?" Nate inquired, providing her with a kiss, his lips lightly brushing against her cheek._

_Blair felt a twinge of warning, an irresistible wave of conjecture. She was prone to favouring planned arrangements, material and clear instances of order. Yet something changed last night. A baffling resonance._

" _It will be incredibly busy tonight", she said quietly, against her will. She was complicit in her yearning to endow life with captivating disorganization._

**XOXO**

Chuck met Lily's eyes with the same determined expression he had previously met Serena's. It was another manifestation of an incredulous reaction, disguised in different physical appearance. He had anticipated it.

She held up _her _marvellous face. " What's this? I thought Serena would be on the cover."

" Serena had been on the cover for the past year. We need to give someone else a chance."

" And who is this girl? Is she even a model?"

" Who cares. We will make a model out of her if we have to. "

Lily looked into _her_ penetrating eyes , scrutinizing. " This is the girl we saw at Starbucks yesterday!"

Chuck nodded, still smiling slyly. He immensely enjoyed the frenzy he had stirred, a forgotten dynamism of his legacy.

" She is not a model, Charles."

It was as if Lily and Chuck had changed places, switched their respective ideologies. Lily took on his scepticism and he assumed her enthusiasm.

" I hardly care. She is different, she is magnetic. We should take a chance on her."

Lily shrugged helplessly. " You are the editor."

" Great. You can take a long lunch . I need you to fetch her from that menial spectacle and give a job she deserves."

Re-awakened passion. Crystallizing significance.

**XOXO**

Blair recognized her immediately. Fashionable dress, air of importance. She approached her without any attempt at cordiality.

" I was asked to hire you."

Blair's brows rose in a curve. " I beg your pardon?"

" You heard me. My boss told me to bring you and put you to work right away."

" I did hear you and now I want you to hear me: tell your boss to shove it."

Blair walked away, proud of her insolence, afraid of her inability to keep up with it.

Lily, thoroughly triumphant, dialled Chuck's number. Blair and curious Vanessa watched her with glowing interest.

" Good afternoon, Charles, your prospective employee just told you to 'shove it'. Anything else you would like me to do?"

In a minute, Lily approached Blair again. " My boss told me to let you know that if you don't leave with me now, tomorrow copies of our magazine with you on the cover will be printed and displayed here for everyone to see. The press will be here to interview you and , needless to say, your current manager will not be too thrilled."

Blair had found her match, a skilful and intelligent opposition. Her heart rose and fell, a surge of warmth clinging to it.

" He is abhorrent'.

There was a smile around the edges of her full mouth. She did not welcome it but she did not resist it.

**XOXO**

Chuck knew _she_ was coming. He found himself waiting almost impatiently, eagerly. Her insolent remark did not surprise him; he liked the fire within her, burning defiance. She had presence, power. He loved that about her. He was eager to witness more of it, learn the template of her mind, composition of her heart. She was like a vast land to him. Pioneering wonder.

When Lily announced they had arrived, he made his way downstairs, willing the elevator's machinery kinesis to accelerate. Here she was on the main floor of his father's legacy, strong and unknown. He wanted to run to her but instead he greeted solemnly, authoritatively. Penelope and Serena , as if sensing ensuing frenzy, gathered nearby.

" What's your name?" Chuck asked after a curt nod.

" Blair Waldorf". Her determined gaze matched his.

" I am Chuck Bass, your new employer. That being said, I don't ever expect you to repeat the haughty remark about which my assistant informed me. I hope that is clear."

" Clear as day."

Rivalry of two headstrong wits.

" Lily, show Blair around. We start shooting in an hour."

Turning to walk away, he whispered ," Wipe that smirk off your face. It would not look good in the shot."

" Shove it", she answered and followed after Lily.

" I don't like her", Penelope turned to Serena.

" Tell me about it. I can't believe they replaced me with her."

" Don't worry, S. We will make sure she doesn't last."

" Why are you so invested in what is going on around here all of a sudden? You never really cared about Chuck's magazine", Serena asked incredulously.

" Let's just say I do now", Penelope answered cryptically. The truth of the matter was she did not like the way her boyfriend looked at the new girl. There was an engrossment, passion in his dark eyes. He had never looked at _her_ like that.

**XOXO**

**more to come !**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : **Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers ! It really means a lot and inspires me to continue :D You rock. Here's an update ! Dialogue is very important to this chapter; lines in italics show the introduction of a new character to the scene.

**S'Marvelous Face **

**Part Four**

Photographer's shots are like haphazard thoughts, one coming after another in a rapid unnerving motion. An opulent flash penetrates your heart, signals change in movement, expression. You are constantly under a challenge, a spell. A curious process. Life has a peculiar tendency to tease, present us with occurrences so out of range, remote to what we had been used to. It moves like camera's lens, revealing new radiant images.

Blair, accustomed to order and deep intellectual vigour, felt displaced amidst flickering camera lights, voluminous roll of film. She was a colonist in awe of a new settlement, way of life. New World bewilderment.

" You are too stiff, loosen up your shoulders", Lily instructed promptly, without emotion. She had taken on her task quite literally, privileging the mechanics of her profession.

Blair did as she was told, silently enjoying her intimacy with lens's watchful eye. She secretly cherished being in focus, breathing life into the running flash.

" Turn your chin a little, put your hands on your hips, move a little to the left".

" Don't smile, raise your eyes a little, face the wall."

" _Lily, I see you made her over nicely"._

Blair almost flinched, hearing a different tone, connotation. Chuck's blatant gaze greeted her with a noticeable smirk. His expression was far-ranging; it could be taken for mockery, surprise, appraisal, approval. She wanted to know what he thought, how he viewed her through the microscope of his satire.

" Thanks, Charles. Take five, Blair". Lily's same lack of acknowledgment, responsibility.

Blair's hands shook when she reached for her water. She strongly disliked his hold on her, dark mysticism of those eyes.

" What are you staring at?" Blair asked haughtily. Best defence is good offence. As usual, she sought refuge in her philosophies.

" You are delightfully touchy today. Is the work perhaps more than you can handle?"

He did not fit into any dimensions of her world. It seemed as if he knew what string to play, what chord to strike. He knew _her_. Not in a way her boyfriend knew her, long secure bond, but an overreaching thread in sync with a restless needle. It was a connection grounded in the pattern of impressions, glances, words. It was instantaneous, not marred by long acquisition.

" Not at all. I thrive in challenge."

" Glad to hear it."

" Glad to tell it."

" No doubt in my mind. Statement making is your forte." Same smirk, slightly curved brow.

" Weak opposition in statement receiving is yours". Almost identical brow, playfully insincere smile.

" Alluding to an earlier accident, marvellous face? Let me assure you the matter will not go unattended. I am being civil for the sake of our issue. I can't fire the model when she is being photographed."

" Should I be afraid, _boss_?"

" I would be if I were you."

" Well, you aren't _me_."

Blair departed behind the curtain, maintaining her smile. Chuck stood in secret delight while Lily could not help feeling intrigued. The pair seemed invincible to her.

**XOXO**

What a magnetic spectacle. Chuck had a firm idea that Blair would make a great model but, after surveying her in front of the camera, he realized the evident limits of his vision. Blair Waldorf was a chameleon, exhibiting rare affluence, grace. Dark ivory cardigan, cotton skirt of light beige, ugg boots...seemingly simple attire, yet the additional texture of dark brown layers of hair, long lashes framing hazel-colored eyes of impeccable precision and cherry lips half open with a lingering sound ...created a masterful icon. He began to feel renewed reassurance in his legacy. All it took was a moment of spontaneity.

" _Chuck?"_ Penelope's voice like a stroke of lightning in a clear day.

" I am working, P", he immediately uttered. He glanced at Lily who buried her head in Blair's film.

A beckoning arm tightened on his shoulder. " You are never working. Who is the new girl? Seems a little out of place to me."

" Can I be the judge of that, sweetheart?" Faintly veiled disinterest, yet rising awareness of complicity. Chuck had never been emotionally bound to any woman but he had never kept her in the dark about his intentions.

" I know what I am doing, P. Dinner tonight?" he asked more softly, almost hesitantly.

" You bet."

Looking around her suspiciously, Penelope left her boyfriend to his imposing thoughts. Soon her drifting eyes met Serena's. Equal anxious quartet of light brown and pale green.

" Anything?"

" He wouldn't tell. But we are having dinner tonight so I will try again. In the meantime, question Lily. You've got a pull."

" Sounds good". The nod of blonde head.

**XOXO**

Second part of the shoot...another submersion into the unknown. The added element of Chuck's charcoal eyes dismantled Blair's mental order but not her performance. She had learned to concentrate, commit to her art without fail. Late nights of reading fiction, mid-afternoon determined attempts to hear her thoughts in the rush of the coffeehouse, long moments gazing over Monet's paintings...they all taught her fortitude, taste, life. A woman of her own making, an epitome of self-development.

Chuck saw in her what he failed to see in anyone else. The humanity, penetrating every layer of her substance, was vulnerable and sweet. She had carved her own strength, an exterior wardrobe of power. He saw beneath it; he saw her heart.

Pose after pose, incessant sound of the flash. Deep hazel eyes, sun-warmed peach of skin.

" Thank you, Blair", Lily briefly put an end to the one photo shoot that had saved Bass Fashions.

Chuck was aware of her struggle to maintain her initial scepticism. Lily Humphrey had years of working with experienced models: it would take her a while to disregard it, see a natural gift.

" _So this is where the secret shoot is taking place !" _

Serena. Golden waves and smile, the magazine's former identity trailing after her.

" Blair, is it?" She marched over to the brunette, still smiling, still unaware. " I am Serena, the head model."

Blair shook her outstretched hand, returning her smile with slightly arched brows. " Nice to meet you. I am the new girl, who hopes to gain the title of the model here. I am currently confused about my status. How is it to work with a highly reticent boss?"

" He is a bit of a mystery, actually. You should watch out."

Chuck knew what his lively model had been referring to; frankly he did not expect her to act differently. When Serena did not get what she wanted, she made a strike. A retaliatory measure of banter. He had acquired an appropriate response.

" That was enough girl talk or whatever you call it. Serena, I need you back in the dressing room. Lily, please see to it and get my assistant to make me some coffee. Blair, you are free to go, for now."

Taking a step towards her, he added " Was that 'reticent' enough for you? By the way, your status here is still in the making."

" Good to know. Now, if you had sent the blonde to run errands_ instead_ of your photographer, I would have bought it. _And_, bring it on Bass."

The curtain separated them quickly. A momentous relief.

**XOXO**

" He discovered her at Starbucks! "

" Wow, the working girl. Not bad for a rookie, S."

"She walks around here like she owns the place. I couldn't believe it."

" Don't panic yet. I've got a plan."

" Pray tell?"

" I think we are in need of strong macchiatos first. Make the trip, S? And don't forget to _tip_."

Conspiring duet. The leader emphasized the last phrase, "...for information."

**XOXO**

Blair was back in her ruffled skirt and blouse before she met his eyes again. She did not expect him to wait, the beating rhythm of her heart signalling her surprise.

" I wanted to tell you that you still have your job." Familiar teasing with an overtone of utter sincerity, warmth.

" Thanks", she said simply. Suddenly she wanted to suspend the charade, look beyond it.

" You read?" he shared the same desire, his eyes noting the copy of _Great Gatsby_ in her hands.

They sat on the divan, side by side.

" This is one of my favourite books. I recently read it for a class." Her eyes sought his in confidence, secrecy.

" You go to Columbia?"

" How did you know?"

"I have my instincts."

He knew.

" And you would rather take a boring class than edit this magazine."

She knew in return.

" I would have answered yes in a heartbeat but something has changed."

" Your models got dumber?"

" I met you."

It was a moment of stillness and understanding. A frozen roll of film.

**XOXO**

" Nate!"

Serena eagerly greeted him. " I am your girlfriend's coworker. I must say it is nice of you to stop by to see Blair on her first day. I am surprised she did not tell you."

Nate let out an uncomfortable laugh. "Well, I am sure it was all very sudden. I was told I needed to speak to Serena?"

" This is she!" Serena tucked her arm under Nate's elbow, adding, "follow me."

**XOXO**

" Why did you agree to take over then if you didn't have an interest?"

" Bart was the only family I ever had ...this magazine was his life's work."

" That's generous".

" You know, I could ask you the same question: what fascinated you about Starbucks? Love for coffee?"

" More like...seeking independence. I didn't want to rely on my mother all through college. "

" That's courage."

The thread and the needle created the pattern of permanence, sophisticated embroidery. Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck.

" _Look what the cat dragged in !"_

Serena and Nate. Nate and Serena. They were two people, linked by their blonde vital dichotomy. The panorama of the moment: Blair in surprise and slight disappointment; Chuck in the mode of opposition; Serena anxious with carrying out her task and Nate , painfully confused.

" You must be Blair's boyfriend .I am Chuck Bass, her new employer".

Chuck's outstretched hand broke the stasis of the moment.

**XOXO**

**Definitely more to follow! More Chair, of course P**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Again, thank you all so much for reviewing, favoriting or subscribing to this story! Here's an update ! Please note that we have time jumps in this chapter, shown in italics. Hope you enjoy. :)

**S' Marvelous Face**

**Part Five**

Nate shook Chuck's hand. " Nice to meet you. Serena told me Blair worked here."

" I see. My models are very busy people. With things other than their job, might I add."

Chuck raised a meaningful brow at smiling Serena. " Glad to be of service", she said.

" Lily needs you in the dressing room. Get lost, Serena."

" As you say". The blonde head swiftly disappeared behind the door.

" I will let you be alone", Chuck stated cordially, but with an overtone of mockery. A faint wave of sarcasm, noticed by Blair.

" Thanks, man", Nate answered, unaware. Blair matched Chuck's smirk with one of her own making. Dual challenge, identical boldness. Only when that penetrating gaze dissipated did Blair turn her sights on Nate.

" What are you doing here?"

" I could ask you the same. Is this really your new job?" Surprise, disbelief filtered through his tone.

" What if it _is_? I can't work at Starbucks forever." Rising indignation filtered through hers.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I knew you wouldn't approve."

" Well, I don't. This place is so pretentious. It's not your world, Blair."

He had always been honest with her. Blair cherished this refining quality, appreciated its stark realism. It drew her closer to him and also apart from him. Simultaneous anomaly. She knew her anger was unjustified, yet she needed an outlet for the surge of sudden passion, ferocity in her being. It was a mask for her radiant transformation.

" Maybe it _is_ my world, Nate. Maybe you don't really know me".

" Let's not talk about this here. " He was still fighting for her, resolutely set on the past.

" Fine. I will get my stuff." She was aware of what was to come, what _had_ to be done. Guilt , determination, peace.

**XOXO**

_He raised his dark eyes from a magazine he was reading. Surprise, satisfaction reflected in their flicker. _

" _I just came to get my things. We are leaving."_

" _From my office? Well, if you must." Same knowing smirk._

" _Oh, for crying out loud!" Blair walked over to his window and, pulling the shutters open, stood gazing into the turbulence of Manhattan's heart._

" _Not looking forward to the inevitable confrontation? " He stood next to her, now serious. He understood her without words. It was a mysterious propensity, a generous gift. _

" _Not looking forward to the aftermath. How do you tell someone with whom you've spent most of your life that you might not be the person they think you are?"_

" _You just tell them who you really are, with brutal honesty. If they can't accept that, then they aren't right for you." _

" _Nate has always been honest. I owe him this much, I guess." _

" _I will be here all night, if you need a friend." She was drawn immensely to the fire of his dark eyes._

**XOXO**

" Nate ! Where's Blair?" Serena walked over to his slightly crouched figure.

" Geez. Do you always spring on people like that?" He turned to face her eager eyes hesitantly, grudgingly.

"It's part of my profession." Natural ease, cheery disposition.

" Blair went to get her stuff". His uncomfortable captivation suited her rising interest. " Fifteen minutes ago", he added. This extra admission alleviated initial detachment, coldness.

" She probably got caught up in looking at her photos. Fashion does this to you. You really start to feel superior. That's the reason my boyfriend broke up with me. I've outgrown him."

" Why are you telling me this?"

" I am just warning you."

" _Let's go, Nate_". Blair suddenly appeared.

" I am working late tonight, if you need to talk", Serena whispered before walking away. Nate provided her with a look of confusion before following Blair. Only later he would grasp the significance of the moment.

Like clockwork, Penelope's questioning eyes rose. " So?"

" Mission accomplished".

" Fantastic."

" But I've got to say he is really attractive."

" Please. Don't go over your head. You've got a dozen of them here."

" He seems different."

"You need a drink, S."

**XOXO**

" _Hi, stranger. Why so glum?" Same resolute grasping of life, warm breeze on summer's day._

" _I am not sure I am in the mood for this happy-go –lucky business." He still resisted her charm._

" _Quit moping. The world has not come to an end. Let's get out of here."_

_She tucked her arm under his elbow again, a gesture of secret alliance, understanding. They stepped onto the dark, moonlit streets of midnight Manhattan._

**XOXO**

" We need to talk, Nate", Blair dismantled the lingering silence after the waiter had taken their orders. Being in a restaurant created an atmosphere of officialise, candour.

" I think we do," he agreed. He was slowly learning to loosen the grip on the past. " What's going on, Blair? You haven't been yourself for the past few days."

"No, Nate. I _have _been myself these last few days. I've discovered qualities I didn't know I had...qualities I was afraid to show. I might not be the Blair you think I am."

" You mean the Blair who likes taking pictures of herself, walking around rich and flashy fashion world? The Blair who has outgrown her boyfriend?"

Candour, basking in its hidden brutality.

" No, Nate. I am the Blair who doesn't hold herself back, doesn't obsess over order and rules. And I am afraid _we_ have been apart for quite some time. "

She noticed him getting up. " Where are you going?"

" I am not very hungry anymore. I miss the old Blair", he muttered meeting her pensively sad eyes.

" She might not have existed, Nate."

Officialise and its inescapable implications.

* * *

_**TEXT: **__Mission aborted, P. I really like him. You can take the new girl down if you want, but count me out..._

_S-_

_**TEXT: **__No sweat off my back, S. Chuck stood me up...I am in Brooklyn with Damien Dalgaard. _

_P-_

**XOXO **

Nate walked along still nocturnal Manhattan's streets thinking about relationships. He reached deep into his mind, his heart. The cool summer breeze brushed against his skin, de-cluttering his wavering thoughts. Something has certainly changed in his and Blair's relationship, something fell short. Her distant hazel eyes, searching for some faraway place, hope. He visualized her sitting stiffly on the edge of her chair, ready to leap into life at any moment. Her newfound fashion world, her allocation to the higher realm of style. He shouldn't have been so astonished. After all, Blair was always the dictator of taste. Nate smiled lightly, despite of himself.

He approached the imposing Bass Fashions, almost humane without glaring window lights. He didn't know why he was here. He was struck by the change in his world, led by its guiding instinct.

_She_ sat in the lobby, chewing on macaroons, a half-full bottle of wine beside her. True to her word.

" Serena?"

The pale green of her eyes surfaced, illuminating dark gloom of the room.

**XOXO**

Chuck lit another cigarette and stared into the night city again. He pictured _her_ standing beside him, her strawberry scent evoked by the proximity. He was thinking of her, dreaming against his will. Unknowingly, she had reached into the innermost layers of his substance, finding and restoring his sensitivity. Mysterious magic.

A quiet, almost timid knock made him flinch. It was a sudden, but not an unwelcome disturbance, against the silent backdrop of his office.

_She_ was before him again, visibly sad and defeated. Chuck had to ensure this wasn't a dream, a nocturnal floating vision. He walked over and took her hand. He immediately felt its warmth, felt that the moment was real.

" I was hoping you'd come".

" Just for one night, don't make your smite comments."

" There is more to me than you know." He smiled tauntingly. " Let's get out of here".

**XOXO**

" Eating ice-cream at midnight...well, that's one thing I haven't done in a while."

" You are no fun", Serena smiled jeeringly, plopping another spoonful into her mouth. Ever since they left Bass Fashions, the night turned into a whirlwind, an array of exciting unknown adventures.

" Well, sometimes I play video games when I am presumably studying."

" I eat macaroons when I am supposed to be working on my poses."

Mutual revelation, light-hearted admissions. Compatibility, grounded in blonde dichotomy.

Serena pulled an open bottle of wine. " Let's make this ice-cream Irish."

" We will be sick in the morning. You know that, right?"

" Care to live daringly?" she winked at him beckoningly and filled his glass.

**XOXO**

The night park, swimming in eerie, profound silence, presented them with an opportunity to breathe the echoing sounds of their voices. Chuck brought her to his secret hiding place.

" I didn't know you were so fond of nature", Blair said pensively, walking with him on the moist grass. She felt a surge of excitement seep through her being, a rising awareness of his emotional closeness.

" One of my mysterious qualities. If you let me, I will show you many more." Chuck smiled at her, a gesture of trust that he had involuntarily acquired. The man of few words and expectations, he was opening up.

" You are on", Blair answered, returning his smile. She had a distinct, looming feeling that the journey would bring her delight.

**XOXO**

" Is your stomach growling yet?" Serena asked with a laugh, throwing Nate a pillow. He stood sleepily in her guest room.

" Not yet. I hope it stays this way...don't want to leave your roommate any surprises." He winked at her, catching the pillow.

" No worries. Feel free to do so. She gets on my nerves sometimes."

" Do you get on _hers_? I still can't believe you fell asleep during _Star wars_".

" Well, confusing action science is not my thing."

" There is _no_ such thing", he said with mock exasperation. Nate loved teasing her, fuelling their conversation with light-hearted folly.

Serena approached him, more serious now. " I had a lot of fun tonight, Nate."

" I did, too", he agreed sincerely.

" Good night, Star Wars geek." Her well-meaning mockery surfaced again.

" Good night, Star Wars virgin".

Serena poked her blonde head through the door with one last admission," Everything happens for a reason. Just remember that if you feel like moping again."

**XOXO**

" What are you thinking about?" Chuck asked his brunette companion when they stopped to gaze at the glistening pond.

" Relationships...and how they can change in one moment".

" That's the wonder of them, isn't it?" He met her shining eyes and added, "You made the right decision".

There it was again: he seemed to know her before she knew _herself. _It was a mystery, both enchanting and frightening.

" It is scary", Blair confessed, " I've been with Nate nearly all my life ...yet I meet you and I feel like..."

"You've known _me_ all your life", he finished the sentence for her. Blair nodded and her eyes flickered to the lingering pond as if awaiting an answer, an omen.

" It doesn't have to be scary, Blair". Chuck followed her gaze. " I may not be much of a believer in _anything_...yet I believe one thing: life is what we make it."

A silence erupted, like a blanket of protection, refuge.

Momentarily his cab drove them to Blair's dorm, in silence, contemplation. They seemed to engage in mutual reflection, processing the flow of their nightly excursion.

When Blair stepped out, Chuck ended the night with a final proposal," I really like you, Blair Waldorf with a marvellous face...even though we've just met. I am interested in getting to know you better. Sleep on that and remember that life is what we make it. Good night, marvellous face."

He drove away, leaving her with a sudden smile, sudden warmth in her heart.

**XOXO**

**MOREEE to come ! xoxoxox**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: OOPS! Sorry , it has been a while ! Thank you for your patience :) please forgive me .

**S'Marvelous Face**

**Part Six**

It was the night of looming, overpowering changes. Four people, four distinct visions. A wave of life seeped through their fluid entities, transforming their innate layers. New expectations, hopes had found their way into the habitual flow of the everyday, marking their territory with sudden occurrences.

Bass Fashions witnessed another morning through a prism of surprises.

Serena, with her arm slipped through Nate's elbow, greeted Chuck and Blair with her usual air of nonchalance. New visions grounded in old physical space.

" How's the boss and his head model? What did you do to him? He's actually smiling."

" I can ask the same of you. How come Nate is not frowning?"

Light-hearted exchanges, gradual acceptance of life's eager kinesis.

" Both ladies have got magic touch", Chuck declared, glancing at the woman beside him with a raised eyebrow. Their dynamic alliance formed an invincible force. She was a flame of fire to his scorched being.

" I agree with you man", Nate inserted his input sharing a meaningful grin with his former imminent rival. He had taken refuge in the alternate spiral of possibilities. The identical blonde stood next to him, a discernible duplicate of his character.

" Serena, the mid-issue shoot wouldn't begin on its own". Chuck was still in command, in authority yet there was something relaxed in his manner. He was engaged in his immediate role as a creative artist with inkling for mischief.

" Off I go, boss. The dictator is back I guess", Serena retuned his feisty remark and disappeared into the dressing room, kissing Nate on the lips as she went. Chuck jeered and cast a sideways glance at Blair who scrunched up her pretty nose.

" Call it even, marvellous face", he whispered into her ear before turning to go to his designated location, " pay me a visit in my office...I've got a number of your lovely snapshots, my beauty."

Blair scoffed and took a decisive step toward her flustered ex-boyfriend.

" Hi, cheater", she said with a smile. The initial coldness dissipated, broke away.

" Right back at you, cheater", he answered with an equally playful smile. Nate and Blair had acquired their new sudden role and relished in it. A puzzling metamorphosis.

" Well, it's true what they say. The blondes have more fun". It was easy, simple. He was an old friend, brought back to her, devoid of romantic attire.

" And the brunettes make us embarrassed." Nate found that the flow of their interaction was smooth, gliding fluidly through their friendly retorts. Perhaps friendship was their secret talent, what they did best.

"Just don't fall for her too quickly", Blair added a serious note into the mixture of frivolousness, "that was the mistake with us. Get to know her, take each moment."

" You too. Make him work for it".

They parted with mutual hope, filled with the excitement of what was to come. An eager glance into the future stretching on the palm of your hand.

**XOXO**

_Blair could hardly sleep through the night, tossing and turning, thinking, doubting, smiling with hope. Chuck's parting words soothed her, scared her but made her heart beat irrevocably. Moonlit walk in the park, illumination of hidden and acute desire. _

**XOXO**

_He had said it. He had reached into a part of himself that he didn't know existed. There was that unquenchable passion again, rising within him, flowing through his cells. He felt vibrant, rejuvenated. A restless wave moving away from the centre of the shore. _

****

Chuck studied her marvellous face , every delicate contour, each elegant feature. It was like looking into his heart. A moment of stillness when everything inside you blossoms and radiates with light.

" I have something to say to you, boss". _Her _face was before him now, the real life counterpart bearing the glimmer of expressive hazelnut eyes. Blair smiled at the marvellous face, picked it up, weighed it on her hand.

" Which is?" Chuck returned playfully. He snatched the marvellous face from her hand, placed it beside him, traced his finger along the right delicate edge.

" You stare at my face way too much".

She walked over to where he stood, cupped his chin in her palms. He was her tamed animal, expression of tenderness, future. Blair slowly reached his eager lips, closing her eyes, feeling his breath on her cheek. Her fingers warmed his skin. He kissed her back, in tune with her tenderness, returning her slow but steady love.

**XOXO**

Chuck took her hand, smiling mysteriously, leading her towards the unknown. He felt like a mischievous youth after the first kiss with the girl of his dreams. They stepped onto the gravel of Manhattan streets, gleaming with midday sun. Blair rejoiced in this moment of secrecy; it was a sudden incarnation of shameful dream. She longed to be somebody's princess, somebody's fire.

" Where are we going?" she asked half-sincerely. She cherished this newfound excitement, invocation of a spark of adventure.

" I have something to say to you, marvellous face."

Chuck paused for a moment, gazed into her eyes, noted the sun seeping through them. He rejoiced in her beauty, her charm. It was a nocturnal unconscious vision that surfaced to life unexpectedly. He had dreams about _this_ marvellous face.

" Which is?" Blair inquired teasingly.

" You ask too many questions". Chuck ran a finger through a shiny full strand, letting it fall into place in a sea of dark brown waves.

He drew her closer to him; his lips touched her forehead. She was his princess, his spark, the life in him.

" The park where we fell in love".

**XOXO**

" _I love your kisses", he whispered, running his hands down her back. He felt renewed, reawakened. All it took was a touch of her lips._

" _I love being with you", Blair answered, moving her hands to his hair. She liked to nurture him, give him love. _

" _Stay in my life". Chuck fixed his unmoving eyes on hers. He held her closer, tighter. Like a precious marble._

**XOXO**

The glistening pond, the green tress, the air breathing with spring. The park where they had fallen in love, the site of revelations. Chuck stroked her hand, pressed it to his heart.

" I have a new passion for life. Is that strange?" he asked gazing into the ripe grass, rapid water.

" You have always had it. You only became aware of it just now." Blair liked their intimate moments, getting to know him, unravelling his intricate threads. She felt like it was her calling.

" With your help".

" Not without it."

A moment passed in silence, reflection.

" I can't be in control anymore. I am not afraid to go with the flow, not having a plan," Blair uttered.

" That _is_ strange", Chuck responded teasingly, watching the sun play with her hair.

" Shove it", she whispered, turning to face him, smiling.

" You have always been in the flow", Chuck uttered softly before meeting her lips.

**XOXO**

Chuck put his arm around her on the way back in his limo. He kissed her hair, her forehead, her temples. Blair pressed her face into his chest, she could hear his heartbeat, steady and fast.

" You are my dream, marvellous face".

Chuck looked at the world around them through his window, the swiftly spreading kinesis. He felt like he belonged amidst this vibrant flow; he was a particle in the matter of life. He viewed his surroundings with a curious, lively eye.

" You give me reason to believe in myself, Chuck".

Blair found her innate confidence, power, disrobing her insecurity, doubt. She wanted to nurture and love the man in her arms, read his thoughts, challenge him. He gave fuel to her world, endowed it with passion, life.

They were each other's saving grace.

**XOXOXOXO **_The End_

Thank you ever so much guys ! xoxoxoxoxox


End file.
